New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-21
ANOTHER WATER FAMINE.
rAp WORK OF A DISTRICT WATER MAIN.
HIsIDSSrs or THE NATIONAL CAPITAL SUFFERING
FROM OFFICIAL IGNORANCE.
a. yBY TELEGRAPH TO rHr TRIBUNE

RECIPIENTS or THE NATIONAL CAPITAL SUFFERING
FROM OFFICIAL IGNORANCE.
= IBY TELEGRAPH TO rur rRIBUSE1
'wAsnrNGrox, Sept TO- Another so-ca.ed
break in tao 30inch water main late isst nigu'
Iii dsarfve about ouc-tbrd OF tho residents OF Wash
iurtou of Potomac water tor another day and theirs
is little TO encourage tho belief that 'o-days preak
will not be closely followed by another oae. water
takers are calmly informed that they must do the
HAT thew can until the main 10 repaired. The OF
cIan.ton Of the repeated breaks As given by the
sstuta District officials that tho main Is supported
on brick piers tor Siderable distance and that
the earth has settled between the piers so as to leave
the big pipe unsupported Now tho tact Is that every
leak In the main hes been cansed by a"split," tho
cause OF which Q failure TO open the air valves
when the water was turned into the main. Mr.. Lar
mon. who had charge Of the water mains for nearly
twenty years and who IL an expert in suca matters
to-day said:
sTbere are some twenty or more of these air valves
that tad the great main. After the water has been
tnrned of for repairs, any other purpose, these
mains become filled with On turning the watsr
on, 1t my practice to station man at each one oil
the air valves with instructions to watch until the air
bad sill escaped before closing the valve These air
valves like the safety valves OF q steam engine,
aud when the air s being forced out by the rushing
water behind 1t makes noise very much resembling
that of steam whistle II theee air valves are not
opened ct 81 ola times split 10 almost sure to fol
low. Sometimes 1t may not show itself tor months
The water will he absorbed by the ground around the
main, which slowly settles away from 1t until finally
some morning during the small hours after the hotels
and barrooms have oil stoppe using water and whom
the pres ure the greatest the side OF the cracked
main from which the esrth has settled Will burst out
40 was the csss last Saturday morning. The fact
that side of this cracked man was left In position
and the top and bottom Is unbroken ana as straight
ss when laid. Ia proof positive OF the truth OF wna
Er. Larmou then illustrated what he was saying by
taking piece of pipe and suspending 1t across two
small pers and bearing on to the centre until 1t
broke. The break was square across the bottom.
You see said Mr.. Harmon, that this Is break
such as Captain Symons speaks OIL caused BY
,eight upon the top Of this pipe between the Iiers
with nothing underneath II TO support the weight
Now initiate this pipe until it bursts and you will lind
that the split will very mach resemble the splits III
the great Daiu."
But how do you know that the air valves were not
orened when the connection was made with the ~
in n main last rprihgW =,
inspection of the air valves does not sho that
they have been opened for years Why bave Just
como trvm the scene of the Lest. split There arc
two air valves within 500 feet OF the split, one OF
which less than 200 feet from it, and the box where
they are located IL buried out OF sight with cakeu
earh showing that it has not been opened ior long
time"
.What is there to prevent other 'spts from occur
ring. and Why may not one or more have been MADE
"kost likely that was the case. and splits VIII
follow every time the water turned Oh and on IRON
this great main without opening the air valves until
it il split from end to end and completely ruined IL
true that II the fire plugs are opened at such times
portion OF the imprisoned air will escape through them
but this is not enough. Ii j. necessary always, at
such times, to open the air valves, which were MADE
TIE biz main which was laid fifteen years ago cost
nearly $500,000 aud the officials are talking already
about the necessity OF replacing II by new one. IL
MIR. Lannon'S views correct it would he good
deal cheaper aud more sstisfac ory 70 replace tue
present Engineer Commissioner and his subordnates
with men who understand their Dizziness anu VIII
ffeudf IN